


"There is something I need to tell you"

by buggiesreign



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Couple Fight, Reconciliation, mention of PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:27:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23749918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buggiesreign/pseuds/buggiesreign
Summary: Betty realizes one night that Jughead has PTSD and wants to talk about it with him, but that is not the only conversation they will have that night, because how can you keep a big secret from the man you love, when he is going through something like this?A continuation after 4x18, about how Betty tells Jughead the truth.
Relationships: Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 10
Kudos: 73





	"There is something I need to tell you"

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: PTSD is mentioned in this one shot, because Roberto confirmed that Jughead had it and we saw it, during 4X17. I am not an expert on PTSD (though I have read a lot about it), which is why I kept the details about it to a minimum, as to not upset anyone. They do talk about it however.
> 
> Like most of my fanfiction, this is inspired by a conversation I have had with Ellie (reinhartsdream on instagram)
> 
> I hope you enjoy <3

Betty was alone in the living room, sitting on the couch and correcting one of Jugheads essays - not that it needed much correction. Her mother and FP had taken Jellybean out to dinner and Jughead was upstairs, continuing to catch up on his school work. 

Her heart clenched at the thought of him doing everything to make her happy, after their fight, when she went off and did the worst thing she could’ve done. It didn’t leave her mind. The regret, the guilt, the pain. She knew, she should tell him the truth and be honest, but she didn’t want to lose him. Her heart was heavy and her mind full, as she put down the essay, unable to focus on it.

‘Why did we have to fight?’ she thought to herself, her heart breaking at the memory. He had never yelled this way before, never got so aggressive, to the point where he trashed the room and threw things. A tear rolled down her cheek. ‘Why was he so aggressive?’

And then it hit her.  
He even said it. He told her.  
He was not the same, because death changed him.  
“Jughead is suffering from PTSD.” Betty quietly, mumbled to herself, her eyes darting to the staircase, that lead up to the room they share.

In a matter of seconds, she was up on her feet and walking upstairs, towards her room, guilt and regret eating at her even more, after it all came to her. She was asking herself how she could’ve been so blind and not see it sooner, when she reached the door to their shared bedroom. She knocked on the door softly, before opening it slowly and seeing Jughead, sitting on the bed.

“Jug..” she muttered, walking into the room and closing the door behind her again. His face darted up, to look at her, a flash of pain covered his face, before an unreadable expression took over his features. “Are you okay?” she whispered softly and Jughead let out a soft, slow breath.

He was just looking at her for a moment, before a tear slipped out and he lowered his head again. Bettys hard broke at the sight of him crying and being ashamed over it. Doesn’t he know that she would never judge him?

She walked over to him, sitting down beside him and slowly and gently placed a hand on his thigh, a soft sob escaping him. Jughead kept his gaze lowered to the ground, as tears rolled down his cheeks. Betty was about to say something, when Jughead opened his mouth to speak. “I’m sorry.”

At that, Bettys heart broke once again, for the man she loved. She closed her eyes for a moment, before placing a hand on his cheek and turning his head to look at her. “You have nothing to apologize for. Please don’t feel like you have to hide from me.” her voice was soft as she spoke and Jughead took a rigid, deep breath. 

“I feel so helpless.” he admitted, in a whisper, his voice breaking. “It always comes out of nowhere. I feel fine one second and then I … I see … something and I feel like I can’t breathe and … I don’t know what to do.” he continued explaining, his voice breaking at times. “I feel weak. I should be okay. Everything is okay again. Why am I not okay?” he asked, his voice getting more frustrated as he spoke.

“Jug … you are suffering from PTSD. I didn’t realize it sooner, but you are … and that is okay. There is nothing wrong with you and you aren’t weak. You went through something terrible and it left its mark. But that doesn’t make you weak and it is understandable that you feel overwhelmed right now and helpless. You can’t control what is happening right now and that stresses you out.” she explained, trying her best to use the right words and keeping her voice soft.

“I’m sorry.” he whispered softly, his voice breaking as tears kept rolling down his cheeks, leaning over and slowly resting his head in her lap. Betty looked down at him, shaking her head slightly. “There is absolutely nothing – and I mean nothing – you need to apologize for. This is not you fault. But we will get through this.”

Betty brushed his hair off his forehead softly, before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss there. Jughead looked up at her, a small smile on his face, as tears still escaped his eyes. “Will we?”

“Yes, Juggie. You and I will get through anything, because what we have is so special.” She whispered and Jughead nodded, his head still firmly planted in her lap, as she stroked his hair back repeatedly.

Betty wasn’t sure how long they stayed in that position, but it felt like time was forgotten for the two of them. But all too soon, reality came crushing back in and her guilt, once again, took over. A frown took over Bettys features, as she took a deep breath.

“Jughead, there is something I need to tell you.” she began and Jughead sat up slowly, looking at her and nodding. “Last week, after we had that fight, I went to rehearsal. Archie was there, of course, and him and Veronica just had a fight too. Veronica didn’t show up there and so we just rehearsed a song together.”

Betty noticed the confusion and worry that took over Jugheads features and wanted to stop – she didn’t want to break his heart. But she knew he had a right to know and that she couldn’t keep lying to him. Betty took another deep breath, before she continued speaking.

“We sang the song, it was fine. But during the song I started thinking about my past, about how different things were back then. It felt so weird. I almost felt like in a trance, so out of it and then … we kissed.”

“No.” came the pleading whisper beside her, Jughead shaking his head. “No, you didn’t.”

“I’m so, so sorry, Jug. I don’t know what happened or how it happened, but it did. It happened and I can’t change it, but I know it was wrong and I know I should’ve never done this.” she said, tears forming in her eyes, as she saw the pain and disappointment in his eyes.

“You think?” he scoffed and jumped up from the bed. “Should’ve thought of that before.” Jughead turned away from her and was out of the door in a matter of seconds. Betty got up and ran after him, downstairs and out of the house, but he was too fast. She couldn’t see him on the street anywhere and had no idea where he went. 

“Fuck! What have I done?” she mumbled into the night, the tears now flowing down her cheeks.

Hours, of Betty alternating between pacing through the living room and sitting on the couch, bouncing her leg nervously, passed before the front door opened and Jughead walked inside, his face lined with streaks of tears and his eyes slightly puffy and red. Betty jumped up immediately and looked at him, Jughead just staring back at her.

“Why? I just want to know why you did it?” he said, after a short while of just staring at her and Betty took a step towards him, which made him take a step back. She stopped and sighed.

Why did she do it?  
She wasn’t sure herself.

“I- I don’t know.” she mumbled quietly, and saw Jugheads jaw clench, at her words. “I told you, I felt like I was in some sort of trance, like it wasn’t even me and I had no control.”

Jughead just looked at her again, before taking a deep breath. “Do you love him?” he asked, his voice quiet and unsure, as Bettys mouth fell agape in surprise and she began shaking her head.

“W-What?”

“You heard me. Do you fucking love him?” he asked, raising his voice, clearly angry at her and the situation. 

“No. No, I don’t. I love you.” she said firmly. 

“How can I believe you? How can I trust you? You kissed him, for gods sake!”

“Jughead, please listen to me.” she begged, taking a step towards him again, this time without him moving away. She took a few more steps, until she was in front of him and looked into his eyes, her breath shaky.

“When I was a child, I had a crush on Archie, an infatuation, and that stuck with me, for a really long time. I thought it turned into love. I thought I was meant to be with him. I did, at the time. It always seemed to be that way. Everyone always told me, we were going to end up together, because it just … made sense. It was almost imbedded in me.”

“But when I confessed my feelings, he rejected me, and I was heartbroken. I didn’t know why this supposed meant to be didn’t work out and why he didn’t see it. But then you kissed me that day in my room and that felt more real than anything I had ever felt with Archie.”

“Over the following months, I realized the reason him and I didn’t work out, was because you are my meant to be. After your father got arrested my mother told me she was glad, that I was done with your family and you. And I looked at her and told her that I wasn’t done, because I love you and because you are family to me.”

“That’s when it hit me. I was in love. Real love. True love. What I felt for Archie was never love. I know that now. I was into him and had a crush, but it never was love. Not real love. He and I are not meant to be and we don’t make sense, because I am in love with you and only you.”

“I don’t know what came over me that day. Archie and I were talking about childhood memories and it put me in this weird place. And it happened. I don’t know why. I hate that it happened and I regret that it happened. I know I can’t change it, but I am so sorry.”

“So, no, I don’t love Archie. I only ever loved you and I don’t think I can love someone else. You’re the one Jughead. And no matter what, I won’t give up on us. I’m so sorry. I love you so much.”

When Betty was done speaking, she had tears, once again, rolling down her cheeks and her eyes were pleading. She didn’t know what else to say. She didn’t know what to do. She just looked up at him and he looked back at her. 

A moment later Jughead pulled Betty into his arms and hugged her close, Bettys arms going around him immediately, as she buried her face into his neck and cried into it. Jughead took a deep breath, before he began speaking.

“This isn’t me saying I’m over it, I’m still hurt and I’m still not 100% sure, if I can trust you again, right now. I don’t know how long that will take. But what I am saying, is that I love you and that I want to work through this together.”

“Thank you.” Betty croaked out, through a sob, as she held onto him tightly.

And once again, time felt like it was frozen, as they stood in each others embrace, neither one willing to let go of the other …

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this one shot.  
> I would love to hear your thoughts down below.  
> Also, let me know if you want a second and maybe third part to this, to see how they work through this and what happens after their conversationg.


End file.
